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Word Activities for all ages Word/Vocabulary activities are fun and are also wonderful resources in the classroom. When deciding when, where and which activity to use in your classroom both balance and relevance are key. Word games often get a bad rap in the ESL classroom as they are often used as a crutch rather than a tool. Word games build confidence because they are fun and allow the students to practice character recognition, vocabulary, reading aloud, etc. Here are a few games that you can use in your classroom. |
Last Letter Words: The last letter of the word must be the first letter of the next word.
Begin by scrunching a piece of paper into a ball or of course you could use an actual ball
Throw the ball to a student and who says a word, such as "sit".
When answered, the ball is thrown to another student.
That student must reply with a word starting with "t," such as "tie".
When answered, the ball is thrown to another student who must answer with an
E word-Elephant.
The sequence may then continue:
example: girl, little, egg, go, octopus, sit ... and so on.
At first permit them to use a word list or picture dictionary.
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Word Association: Begin by saying a word, such as "School".
For example:
Teacher: School
Student A: Teacher
Student B: Books
Student C: English
Student D: Reading
Student E: Writing
If the association is not obvious, the student is asked to explain the association.
If the student can't answer (Count of 5-4-3-2-1) he must stand up.
The last student seated is the winner.
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Bingo: After introducing new vocabulary from your student book, hand out a grid with 16 squares. Ask the students to fill in the grids with the new vocabulary words (you can write them on the white board so that they only choose words that you will be calling)
Explain that the students must mark off the words on their grids as you call them out, and that if they finish the grid, shout “BINGO!” When the students shouts Bingo, ask them to read out their words, and check them off your list. |
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